Abandoned by in-laws ever since her husband died in the Rana Plaza collapse back in April, Asha Akhter, 18, is now suffering from malnutrition seven months into her pregnancy because of poverty.
“In April, my husband and I were celebrating my pregnancy. In the same month my husband died. I remember the morning of April 24, before leaving for his workplace he said [I will make sure you are being well-fed. Our kid will be a healthy one,] and I smiled at his joy. He used to work in the fourth floor of the Rana Plaza.” Asha told the Dhaka Tribune with a blank look.
Following the incident, Asha has received only two packets of biscuits and eggs worth of Tk300 till date. Neither she received her husband, Abu Zafar Sentu’s salary nor did she get any compensation from the government or any other organisations.
Asha claimed none of her in-laws came looking after she moved in with her mother at Bakhtarpur, Savar due to pregnancy. Her in-laws live in a different area of Savar.
“I understood the fact that they do not want me anymore. Although I have heard, they will take my kid away if it is a boy,” said Asha.
“I know they (in-laws) received Tk20,000, which was given out at the Adhar Chandra High School’s field, after my mother (Aleya) identified my husband’s body. But, I do not know if they received any other amount or not,” she said.
The school ground was being used to keep the recovered bodies from the Rana Plaza.
Aleya, Asha’s mother found 21-year-old Sentu’s totally decomposed body after 16 days of the collapse.
“The clothes Sentu was wearing decomposed as well,” Aleya who earns Tk1,500 per month as a domestic help said.
Jabed, one of Asha’s neighbour, who also lost his wife in the collapse, said: “She was searching for her son-in-law like mad. She searched every single male dead body’s pockets looking for a wallet madly.”
“I finally found the wallet containing my daughter’s (Asha) picture in one of the bodies and I was sure this was none other than Sentu,” Aleya said.
Asha said: “We got married in 2012 and since then one of my photos find its place in my husband’s wallet. He started working in the Rana Plaza the same year.”
Meanwhile, Asha’s step father-in-law, Habib confirmed the Dhaka Tribune over phone that they had received 20,000 at the Adhar Chandra High School Field and later received another 30,000 taka through bKash, which was given by Irish clothing retailer Primark to at least 4,000 workers and relatives of the deceased as a short-term aid.
Habib also claimed that Asha was presently staying with his family. However, in a visit to Savar the Dhaka Tribune found that Asha was living with her mother in a six feet by six feet rented room, which situated in a completely different area, contrary to Habib’s claims.
Aleya is paying Tk1700 for the room, which is used for cooking purpose cum bed room.
“My brother, who is a rickshaw puller is paying the house rent. But, I do not know how long he could bear the cost,” Aleya said.
Asha said she was not dreaming of going to a hospital for her delivery. She said: “Doctors said the delivery would probably happen in December. It is better for everyone if my kid is born here (in the rented house). We can save some money if we are not going to a hospital. Later, we can use that saved amount for the kid.”
“We are living from hand to mouth, we are not in a condition to afford hospital facilities,” said Asha apparently coming to accept the fact that she would not get any help from anyone.
The collapse of the eight-storey Rana Plaza, where five garment factories were housed, claimed at least 1,132 lives on April 24. A massive drive went on for 20 days that rescued 2,438 people from the debris, but relatives of the victims claim that hundreds of people are still missing.